


Even Superheroes Need a Medic

by ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: (the slur is censored), Apocalypse averted, Diego High on hospital meds, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good Brother Diego Hargreeves, Good Brother Klaus Hargreeves, Gun Violence, Heart-to-Heart, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Hurt Diego Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Klaus Hargreeves Has PTSD - Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Whump, Klaus just really needs a hug okay, Origional Paramedic character, Past Drug Addiction, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sober Klaus Hargreeves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-09 12:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20994626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt/pseuds/ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt
Summary: Klaus never was very good at staying out of trouble. He's just lucky that Diego is there to help, and that Klaus has contacts in the emergency services.A follow on story from my Overdose and Umbrellas which explored Klaus' friendship with the paramedic seen in season 1 episode 1. Corey runs into the now sober, post season Klaus and Diego when responding to a call about a shooting. But the man he finds there isn't quite the same Klaus that highfived him in his ambulance, for better or for worse.





	Even Superheroes Need a Medic

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so straight off the bat I just want to say TW for homophobia, homophobic fuelled violence and slurs (altho they are censored as I am not comfortable with them uncensored) 
> 
> Also thank you to the guys who asked for more stories about Klaus and Corey, I was really touched by how much you took to him in Overdose and Umbrellas so I really hope you like this. If you do like it please do consider a comment or kudos as it would make my day. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoy. xx

“When you said, _‘Hey, let’s get lunch!’_ I didn’t realise you meant _‘Hey Diego, buy me lunch!'”_ Diego huffed as the pair walked along the high street. Klaus merely shrugged.

“I can’t afford.” He pointed out. “And I’m  _ so _ hungry!” He batted his eyes and Diego shoved him a little. 

“Ugh, fine. I’ll buy you something.” Klaus beamed, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. Diego rubbed his face with a scowl as his brother continued talking.

“I’ve been so hungry lately, I never used to be hungry - well I mean, depends what I was smoking you know what I mean - but recently I’ve been starving!” 

“It’s cause your skin and bone and Five has us all training like Olympians” Diego put in. “Also, I can guarantee you that you were hungry before, you just didn’t notice cause you took crack instead of Wheaties for breakfast.”

“I don’t know, maybe I’m pregnant.” Klaus mused, not listening.

“Yeah, maybe you’re pregnant.” Diego deadpanned and Klaus nodded, seeming deep in thought. 

“Ooh can we get ice cream!” He perked up suddenly and Diego sighed - honestly spending time with Klaus was like being stuck with a five year old with an R rated explicit warning. 

“That isn’t lunch Klaus.” Diego pointed out and Klaus sighed. 

“Not with that attitude it isn’t.” Klaus sighed dramatically. “Honestly such a buzz k-oof.” He was cut off as he collided with a body. “Oops, sorry big guy.” He patted the guy’s back where they had made contact. The man turned, he was red faced, balding and even though it was barely 1pm he stank of booze. 

“Watch it, f*ggot.” The man spat, shoving Klaus back towards Diego. He could swear he saw shackles go up on Klaus’s neck, the playful atmosphere of a few moments ago gone. 

“You wanna say that again?” There was a steady weight to his voice, his rage clearly bubbling just under the surface.

“Or what? F*ggot? What you gonna do, fuck me? You’d like that wouldn’t you.” 

“Hey, asshole, back off.” Diego said, stepping between them. 

“Why? Can’t your boyfriend fight his own battles? Fucking pussy.” 

“It’s okay Diego,“ Klaus said, placing a hand on Diego’s shoulder as if to restrain him. “Big man baby here is just letting out the anger he feels because he knows that he will never be able to satisfy his wife, his children think he’s a deadbeat and he is convinced that the reason he is unemployed is ‘immigrants coming here stealing our jobs’ when really it’s just he is a pathetic, pea brained little bigot.” 

Diego blinked at him, how he hadn’t gotten himself killed on the streets before now forever becoming more of a mystery. 

“Am I close?” The man just stood there, frozen in shock. Klaus smiled, cocky. “Oh and by the way, sweetie, that buzzing in the bathroom? It ain’t her tooth-” 

It happened so quickly, Diego didn’t have time to question where it came from. The shot cut through the air, seeming to pause the whole city. Diego didn’t even think as he threw his body in front of Klaus. He had been shot several times before but even with all their fathers training it wasn’t something you ever got used to. As quickly as it all stopped, it started again. He was on the floor, the pain was electric, he didn’t have a chance to wonder where the man had gone, he was suddenly preoccupied with the blood pouring from his side. 

“No, no, no.” He heard Klaus frantic at his side. Klaus pulled his cropped top off, not for the first time finding himself wishing he had worn something with a little more material. He stuffed the small ball of fabric into the pool of blood, pressing down hard as the echoes of gunshots echoed around his head. 

“Medic! Medic! Medic!” He found himself screaming. The sounds of Vietnam deafening. “No, no, no, Dave, Dave.” He sobbed. 

“Shit.” Diego groaned through gritted teeth. “Klaus, Klaus buddy, I really need you right now dude come one, snap out of it, Klaus!” 

“Medic!” Klaus screamed. Diego sighed before hissing in pain. He could see there was no reaching Klaus that way. 

“Klaus, Klaus, look at me, it’s Diego, I’m okay, I don’t need a medic alright? Look, I’m alive, I’m not Dave, it’s not that bad just...please Klaus.” He found himself begging, the pure terror on his brothers face heartbreaking. 

“Medic! Meeediccc!”

  
  
  


***

Gunshot just off mainstreet. Corey and his partner had sprung into action as soon as the call came through, luckily only being a few blocks away. As they sprinted towards the body on the ground Corey felt the sudden grip of fear they all knew in their line of work, of recognising someone at a scene; Klaus Hargreeves. 

“Medic!” Klaus called as Corey arrived behind him. 

“Klaus? I’m here, don’t worry.” He said, dropping his bag down beside the man on the ground. 

“Finally.” The man groaned, clutching his blood soaked side. 

“One shot?” Corey asked, reaching over towards the wound. 

“Yeah, I think...I don’t think it’s too bad.” 

“Okay, we will fix it up, don’t worry…?”

“Diego.” 

“Diego? Diego Hargreeves?” 

“Yeah? God don’t say you’re a fan.” 

“Oh, no, no I just, I know Klaus.” Corey looked to Klaus as if to get some back up but the other man hadn’t been listening. He was still looking frantic, muttering to himself, shaking. 

“Klaus? Hey, it’s okay, your brother’s going to be fine.” Corey said as he began pulling the bandages out of his bag. 

“He can’t hear you.” Diego groaned. “He’s...he’s having some sort of a flashback. He lost someone, was shot.” Diego explained quickly. Corey looked at Klaus, his heart breaking for a moment. Klaus Hargreeves, who highfived him after just escaping death, who laughed and cracked jokes in the ambulance, the man before him seemed like a broken shell of that Klaus he knew.

“Klaus? Klaus it’s Corey.”

“No, no, no, no, Dave.” Klaus muttered under his breath, his eyes locked on his bloody hands. 

“Hey, Klaus, I need you to hold this in place okay?” He said, handing him the bandages and gauze. The touch seemed to reach him, his eyes coming up to meet Corey’s. “I’m the medic yeah? Okay, press that into the wound hard for me yeah, I need to get to the exit.” Klaus seemed conscious a second, nodding slowly as he followed the instructions. 

“This is gonna hurt sorry.” Corey said, lifting Diego slightly who cried out in pain. 

“Okay, here too Klaus.” He said when he located the exit wound. “Lots of pressure.”

“We’re gonna move you now okay?” Corey said to Diego who nodded. Alexander, his driver placed the backboard down. “Klaus, are you ready to help?” Klaus nodded slowly. “Okay, on three. 1...2...3” Diego cried out as the three of them lifted him onto the board. The sidewalk under where he had been laying stained red. 

“Alright Klaus, keep that pressure for me.” He said as he and Alex lifted Diego into the air. 

Within seconds they were inside the ambulance, sirens blaring. 

Corey placed an oxygen mask over Diego’s face and a pulse oximeter on his finger before replacing Klaus in putting pressure on the wounds. 

“You doing okay back there?” He called back. Klaus was sat staring at his hands, looking shaken. 

“Ye-yeah.” His voice caught in his throat. 

“You back with me, yeah?” He turned to look at him for a second. 

“Yeah, yeah...thank you Corey. He’s gonna be okay, yeah?” Diego gave him a thumbs up from the bed. 

“He’s lucky, it looks like a clean exit, no organ damage, and he is in good hands, okay?” 

“I’m gonna be fine bro.” Diego said, pulling the mask away a second. 

“Always were a stubborn git.” Klaus teased with a thin smile, although it did little to hide how fragile he appeared. 

Suddenly the doors were being thrown open and a gaggle of people began to lift Diego away. Klaus stumbled along behind as Corey updated them on Diego’s condition before he was rushed through a pair of white doors. 

“Klaus. Klaus I’m sorry, you have to wait here.” Corey said, falling back with him. He expected some resistance but Klaus just looked lost. Without the context of the shooting he looked very out of place, stood shirtless in the white corridors. 

“That a new one?” Corey nodded to the pyramid style tattoo on Klaus’s chest, distracted a second. 

“What? Oh, yeah.” He sounded miles away.

“Klaus...are you sure you’re okay?” Klaus put on a smile. 

“You know me, I’m always okay.” 

“Okay…” Corey wasn’t convinced. 

“Come with me.” He led Klaus to a quiet consolation room, pulling the blinds and going to close the door. 

“Wait!” He froze at the panic in Klaus’s voice. 

“Not...not all the way.” Klaus said, sounding embarrassed. Corey smiled, leaving a few inches open. 

“You know the drill yeah?” Corey said, grabbing the  sphygmomanometer. Klaus sighed but didn’t resist when he wrapped it around his arm. 

“I wasn’t shot.” 

“I know. Think of as for old times sake.” He said as he took his blood pressure. “Now, if I test your blood will I find anything?” He said. 

“What? Oh, no, no I quit; cold turkey, teetotal.” 

“Really?” He hoped his surprise didn’t offended Klaus but...well he was having trouble believing that Klaus, the most dedicated drug addict he had ever met, was sober in a matter of months. 

“Yeah, after...after I lost Dave.” He said, his body visibly shrinking, his hands going to the dogtags he had hanging around his neck.  _ Oh _ . Corey paused a moment, before his professional training kicked in, pushing him forwards. 

“Well, I’m proud of you Klaus, that’s a real achievement.” Klaus just shrugged. “Hey no, really, well done.” Corey caught the smallest of smiles. 

“Thanks Corey.” He whispered. 

“But Klaus...I need to ask, what happened today? When you weren’t with us.” Corey asked as he pulled a foil blanket from a packet, handing it to Klaus to wrap around his body, somehow managing to make his scrawny frame seem even smaller. 

“Oh.” There was a long pause. “I...I sometimes...after I lost Dave sometimes....sometimes It’s like I’m back there you know? I can’t save him all over again.”

“Have you talked to anyone about this?” Klaus shrugged. 

“Not really, we’ve all got our shit huh? No biggy.” Corey sighed, his face full of pity. 

“What I saw back there Klaus...that wasn’t _‘no biggy’_.” Klaus shrugged.

“I don’t know, I’ve always had flashbacks, just...now they are more often about  _ him _ .” Corey nodded as he ran a bowl of water, placing it down in front of Klaus, handing him a cloth to wash the blood from his hands. 

“Okay well, just because something has always happened, doesn’t mean it’s okay yeah? 

“I suppose. But i’m not important today, Diego probably saved my life, it’s him we should be talking about.” Klaus said, not looking up from his brothers blood slowly discolouring the water. 

“Okay, but this isn’t the last you’ll hear of this, okay?” Klaus waved his concern away. 

“Fine, whatever.” He said, drying off his hands. His eyes seemed distracted by the corners of the room, a shudder coming over him. Corey glanced back but saw nothing.

“God I need a smoke.” Klaus broke the silence and Corey sighed. 

“I’ll find you a shirt.” 

  
  


***

They huddled close, a few feet from the entrance, Klaus swamped in a XL that had the words _‘Crazy Cat Lady’_ across the front. Corey blew into his hands and shivered as Klaus lit up the cigarette. 

“Those things will kill you you know.” Corey pointed out and Klaus rolled his eyes. 

“Hey, come on man I only just quit crack don’t push it.” Corey chuckled as Klaus took a drag. 

“Alright, I guess that’s fair.” Klaus let out a shaky breath, smoke floating up into the cold air. 

“Christ I needed this.” He said, turning the rollie in his fingers. “So, you’ve heard my tragic backstory, how’ve you been?”

Corey couldn’t catch the little smile from crossing his lips. Klaus grinned. 

“Ooh I know that look come on give me something juicy.” Corey grimaced at the phrasing but gave in anyway.

“I may...may have met someone.” Klaus brought his hands dramatically to his cheeks, gasping theatrically.

“Pray tell more!” 

“Well, they are a pediatrician, we both work crazy hours so it somehow works? But yeah, it’s pretty new but I really like them.” Klaus beamed. 

“I’m happy for you buddy. You deserve someone special.” Corey smiled, but there was a sadness to it, almost feeling guilty to be enjoying something Klaus was robbed of. 

“Thanks Klaus...umm...your Dave...he was special too yeah?” Klaus smiled sadly, inhaling deeply. 

“Oh yeah, he was everything.” 

“Yeah?” Corey smiled softly, encouraging. 

“He could just look at you, with those kind, beautiful eyes of his and suddenly nothing else mattered. Not the war, not pills or ghosts or the apocalypse. Just his eyes, and that smile.” His eyes welled up a little and Corey placed a hand on his shoulder. He wasn’t sure what to say, words couldn’t quite cut it, nothing would. He had consoled so many brokenhearted people in his line of work, and it never once got any easier. 

He would never normally support it as a coping mechanism, but Corey stood there, keeping Klaus company as he chain smoked his nerves away, listening to stories about Dave, about the Hargreeves family, until their lips were practically blue. 

“Mr Hargreeves? Your brother’s out of surgery.” A reception interrupted them from the doorway and Klaus smiled at her. 

“Thank you ma'am.” He said, immediately dropping the cigarette under his boot. He took a shaky breath and put on a brave face before heading back inside. 

  
***  
  


“Klaus!” Diego sounded drunk, a dopey grin on his face. 

“Hey buddy, how you doing?” Klaus asked, unable to help his own grin at the sight. 

“Greeeeaaattt...I’m great.” Diego dragged the words out, a blissful look on his face.

“I’ll bet, they got you hooked up to the good stuff huh.” Corey didn’t miss how Klaus fidgeted a little, eyes flickering to the cannula in his brothers arm. 

“You were quite the hero.” Corey said, placing a grounding hand on Klaus’ shoulder. Diego looked confused for a second before relaxing as he was able to place Corey. 

“Hey, you were the fan yeah? You knew who I was.” Diego seemed pleased with himself for remembering and Corey laughed. 

“Well, kinda, yeah, my little brother though, he was the real fan, maybe I’ll have to get you to sign something for him later, get me out of a Christmas shopping trip huh? You were always his favourite.”

“Oi!” Klaus butted in. 

Corey shrugged. “I don’t know, my brothers straight, sorry.” 

“Ah, that makes sense then, poor taste.” Klaus nodded seriously to himself. Diego frowned, struggling to keep up but aware on some level that he was being insulted.

“Hey!” 

“No, no, what I mean is....well I guess you...you appealed more to kids, well, kids like me I guess.” Corey stumbled

“Ah, so I was your favourite.” Klaus teased smugly. 

“Hey, I did not say that.” Corey grinned and Klaus winked.

“It’s okay, your secret is safe with me.” 

“Okay, well I guess that’s my queue.” Corey said rolling his eyes. “It was great to meet you Diego.” Diego gave him a confused little wave. 

“Don’t forget what we talked about yeah Klaus? Here, keep my number. We should meet sometime I don’t have to save someone's life, huh?” He handed Klaus a slip of paper and Klaus smiled. 

“Wouldn’t your pediatrician mind?” He teased and Corey rolled his eyes. 

“Take care of yourself Klaus, you know where to find me.” Corey said, turning to leave. 

“Hey Corey.” Klaus’s tone had changed again, serious all of a sudden. “Thank you.” 

“All part of the job.” Corey smiled but Klaus insisted. 

“No, really. Thank you.” Corey nodded. 

“Any time.” And then he was gone. Klaus lingered on the door a second before turning back to Diego, his usual theatrics back in play. 

“So big guy, I think we should call the rest of the family of misfits huh? Because I honestly think if I let them miss out on seeing you high they would kill me.” Diego just frowned at him.

“You’re so tiny.” Diego mused and Klaus frowned. 

“Dude we are like the same height.” Caught into his brothers thought tangent. 

“Tiny.” He muttered and Klaus waved it off with a sigh. 

“Hey, I love you tiny bro.” Diego said, grabbing Klaus’ hand, pulling him close. Klaus was startled. 

“Okay big guy, sure.” He said, trying to pry himself free.

“No, no I mean it. I...I need you to know.” Klaus paused, softening. 

“I love you too brother.” He said, settling at Diego’s side. “You know you might have saved my life today.”

“Now we even.” Diego nodded and Klaus smiled. 

“I mean that was Ben, but sure. But seriously dude, thank you. I know I’m an asshole most of the time but really.” 

“That jerk was the asshole.” Diego said matter of factly and Klaus smiled. 

“Yeah, yeah he was.” Klaus paused a moment, watching as Diego became interested in a reflection of light behind him on the wall. 

“Di, I’m sorry I wasn’t all there for you.” He said softly, vulnerable.

“It’s okay dude, you miss him, I understand.” Diego’s tone sad all of a sudden. Klaus nodded. 

“Yeah.” He said, the weight of the word enormous. “Yeah. I do.” He let out a shaky sigh, before pressing Diego’s hand, which was still grasping his, to his lips. 

“Okay, let’s call in the cavalry yeah? Get you home.” He said, pulling out his phone. He paused a second on the contacts screen, pulling out the slip of paper with Corey’s number. Opening the new contacts tab he copied down the number, setting the name:  _ My no.1 fan.  _

Because at the end of the day, even superheroes need a medic, and perhaps, more importantly, they need a friend. 


End file.
